Chris recorded his first album, The Swiss Army Romance, in 2000. The following year, he recorded Further Seems Forever's debut album The Moon Is Down. However, he left the band soon after the album's release, instead recording and releasing his sophomore album The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, as well as a follow-up EP titled So Impossible.
By 2002, three other musicians had joined the band, including former Further Seems Forever band mate Jerry Castellanos and started the process of recording the band's next album. After the success of his second album, Carrabba was asked to perform on MTV Unplugged, and the subsequent release marked the first time many of the songs were recorded with a full band.
Also in 2002, the music video for "Screaming Infidelities" won the coveted MTV2 award at the MTV Video Music Awards, beating out Norah Jones, The Strokes, The Hives, Nappy Roots and Musiq. This video starred Chris in both the performance and the storyline. The video was directed by Maureen Egan and Matthew Barry.
In 2003, the band released its third album A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. Peaking at #2 on the United States Billboard charts, the album proved to be the band's most commercially-viable album yet. In the summer of 2004, Dashboard Confessional recorded the song "Vindicated" for the film Spider-Man 2. The song was featured on the soundtrack and played over the film's end credits. Because of this, the band gained a sizable audience for their next release the following summer.
In May of 2005, Dashboard Confessional entered the studio to record their fourth album with acclaimed producer, Daniel Lanois. The album was released on June 27, 2006; its first single was "Don't Wait". Following the release of Dusk and Summer, Dashboard Confessional went on a summer tour of the U.S. with special guests Say Anything and Ben Lee, followed by a co-headlining arena tour with alternative rock band Brand New.
In 2007, the band released its follow-up to Dusk and Summer, The Shade of Poison Trees.
During an interview with Billboard posted on September 11, 2007, Carrabba stated that he is 14 tracks into what would be the band's sixth studio album. He is also unsure about when it would be recorded, but plans to have 30 tracks to draw from. It may be a concept album: "only with the last three has it become, like, 'All right, these have a continuity and there's something going on,' so I'm excited to see where that leads".
The album, titled 'Alter The Ending', was released November 10 2009 (US). A two disc version of the album is available. In this edition, the first disc consists of full band workings of the twelve tracks while the second disc features acoustic versions akin to the first two Dashboard Confessional albums.
Several Ways To Die Trying
Dashboard Confessional Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the night can freeze, before you set it on fire.
And our flares go unnoticed.
Diminished, faded just as soon as they are fired.
We are, we are, intrigued. We are, we are, invisible.
Take notice, take interest, take me with you.
But all our fears fall on deaf ears.
Tonight, they're burning the roads they built to lead us to the light.
And blinding our hears with their shining lies,
While closing our caskets cold and tight. But I'm dying to live.
Pacific sun, you should have warned us, these heights are dizzying,
And the climb can kill you long before the fall.
And our trails go unmarked and unmapped and covered
Just as soon as they are crossed.
We are, we are, intriguing. We are, we are, desirable.
Oh how we've shouted, how we've screamed,
Take notice, take interest, take me with you.
But all our fears fall on deaf ears.
Tonight, they're burning the roads they built to lead us to the light.
And blinding our hearts with their shining lies,
While closing our caskets cold and tight. But I'm dying to live.
In "Several Ways To Die Trying" by Dashboard Confessional, the singer seems to be warning the listener about the dangers of following the wrong path. In the first verse, he likens the coldness of the night to the indifference of those who might be able to help, but who ignore the flares that they send up. The singer is intrigued and invisible, as though he and his companions are desperate to be noticed but are somehow not visible at all. They scream and shout for someone to take them with them, to show them a better way, but no one seems to hear them.
The second verse uses a mountain-climbing metaphor to illustrate the difficulties of forging one's own trail. Despite their desirability and their intrigue, the singer and his companions are still lost, and their trails are soon forgotten. The singer is still shouting and screaming, still begging for someone to take notice of him and to help him find the right way.
The chorus is an angry indictment of those who lead others astray, whether intentionally or not. They take the roads that were built to lead the way to light, but those roads only end in dark, cold graves. The singer, however, is determined to keep living and reaching for the light, even if it means dying in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Pacific sun, you should have warned us, it gets so cold here.
The singer is comparing the Pacific sun to a person who should have warned them about the coldness of the place they are at.
And the night can freeze, before you set it on fire.
The singer warns that the coldness might not be the only thing that will bring them down as they struggle to create warmth.
And our flares go unnoticed.
Despite their attempts to signal for help, their efforts are ignored.
Diminished, faded just as soon as they are fired.
Their signals are quickly forgotten and they feel powerless to change their situation.
We are, we are, intrigued. We are, we are, invisible.
The artist feels fascinated and enigmatic, but at the same time, also neglected and overlooked.
Oh, how we've shouted, how we've screamed, Take notice, take interest, take me with you.
The singer desperately cries out for someone to acknowledge them and save them from their situation.
But all our fears fall on deaf ears.
Despite their pleas, their fears and concerns are ignored.
Tonight, they're burning the roads they built to lead us to the light.
The people who were supposed to help them are destroying the very thing that was meant to guide them towards safety.
And blinding our hearts with their shining lies, While closing our caskets cold and tight. But I'm dying to live.
The lies they have been fed have only led them closer to death, but the artist still yearns to live and survive despite the overwhelming odds.
Pacific sun, you should have warned us, these heights are dizzying, And the climb can kill you long before the fall.
Once again addressing the Pacific sun, the artist warns about the danger of the climb they are attempting, which could kill them even before they stumble and fall.
And our trails go unmarked and unmapped and covered, Just as soon as they are crossed.
They find themselves lost and unsure where to go, with their trails disappearing as soon as they traverse them.
We are, we are, intriguing. We are, we are, desirable.
Despite their struggles, the artist still finds themselves an interesting and desirable subject, but at the same time, also ignored and unwanted.
Oh how we've shouted, how we've screamed, Take notice, take interest, take me with you.
Their cries for help become even more intense as they face the unknown, but their pleas still go unheard and unanswered.
But all our fears fall on deaf ears.
Once again, their fears are ignored and left unheard.
Tonight, they're burning the roads they built to lead us to the light.
A repetition of the previous line, a reminder of the hopelessness of their situation.
And blinding our hearts with their shining lies, While closing our caskets cold and tight. But I'm dying to live.
Despite the lies and the hopelessness, the artist is still fighting to stay alive and survive.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANDREW CARRABBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind